Part 2
Zong Hao froze momentarily.
Ichi was still sighing beside him. “Looks like your subordinate was worrying for nothing. Look, Mr. Bai found a partner himself.”
Watching that scene, Zong Hao’s frown deepened. Before Ichi could speak again, he strode toward them.
On the other side, Ning Yunyi tutted, hooking Yus’s neck. “What’s wrong? Who was it that said they’d agree to however many things, even give their life to me? And now? You won’t even cooperate when asked? Can I really do anything to you?”
Yus endured and endured, then said resentfully, “Acting is fine, but I really don’t have that hobby… We can’t work.”
Ning Yunyi didn’t hold back in teasing him, acting more like a rogue than a rogue. “Tsk tsk. ‘We can’t work.’ Is it that you can’t, or I can’t?”
Since Yus had no other intentions, teasing him verbally meant nothing.
Yus’s face turned red instantly. “Y-Y-You…” I didn’t expect you to be this kind of Mr. Bai.
The onlookers nearby who saw this were stunned: Wtf, what’s the situation?
Good heavens. After so many years, when has the insufferable Herman Young Master, aside from that crazy and feminine look, ever shown such a… normal expression?
Though he looks more like a decent man being molested by a rogue.
The few eligible ladies from the Herman family nearly dropped the bionic flower bells in their hands: We agreed we were here to marry Mr. Bai, but the Young Master went for it himself?
For a moment, the people stealing glances over there wore strange and complex expressions. T-This… It was supposed to be a well-arranged mixer, but suddenly someone who likes men mixed in. Isn’t this messy?
Ning Yunyi saw he had teased enough and loosened his arm. Just as he was about to speak, he looked up and saw Zong Hao standing not far away. The smile on his lips froze stiffly: Good heavens, when did this guy come over?
He didn’t hear my flirty nonsense, did he?
Zong Hao acted as if he hadn’t seen Yus’s body stiffen for a second. “Mr. Bai.”
His voice was calm and indifferent as always, not sounding like he had heard.
Ning Yunyi breathed a sigh of relief and replied politely, “Marshal Zong, we meet again.”
Zong Hao walked toward them. In an instant, the three stood in a triangle, becoming the focal point of the banquetâthe shining kind.
Everyone else: ?? What… is the situation? Clearly, we can’t hear anything, so why have we already imagined several grand dramas?
When the Crown Prince arrived late at the banquet hall, he saw this scene. Pushed out by his fiancée, he first looked around trying to find Marshal Zong.
He had just agreed privately with his fiancĂ©e that tonight he would try his best to persuade Marshal Zong to agree to a meeting, but he couldn’t guarantee it; whether Marshal Zong was willing depended entirely on his own choice.
His fiancée had a gentle personality and was only following instructions from her father. She was already happy the Crown Prince agreed to host this banquet, her face showing the shyness of a newly engaged daughter.
But when the two found traces of Marshal Zong and looked over, they froze together.
Ning Yunyi still felt a bit awkward seeing Zong Hao. Although he guessed the other party would come, just moments ago he had been watching him carry bowls, lie in his nest, and scramble agilely on the cat climbing frame at home. Seeing Marshal Zong now, he inexplicably imagined this figure on the cat climbing frame…
Really can’t think about it. Don’t dare to think about it. A bit scary.
Perhaps Ning Yunyi’s expression was too weird, because Zong Hao looked down at his armor. “Is there a problem?”
Ning Yunyi quickly recovered. “No, just curious to see the Marshal here. Does the Marshal know what this banquet… represents?”
Zong Hao gave an affirmative sound. “I didn’t before, but I understood after hearing Ichi say it just now.”
Yus, standing aside, looked strange, glancing at one then the other. “You two… seem very familiar.” Why didn’t I remember these two knowing each other?
Ning Yunyi gave him a look that said, There are plenty of things you don’t know; do I need to let you know everything?
Yus could only show a defeated expression. Pot calling the kettle black. Anyway, neither of them is what they appear to be on the surface.
Under his mask, Zong Hao’s face scrunched up. These two… have started making eyes at each other publicly in front of me?
Is there something I can’t hear?
“Ah Hao.” The Crown Prince’s voice sounded from behind, breaking the weird atmosphere.
Ning Yunyi turned with Zong Hao, his gaze resting quietly on this Crown Prince.
He hadn’t paid much attention to this Crown Prince at first. The man was exceptionally low-key, and everything he showed was incredibly considerate. Even when the Third Prince publicly caused trouble at his engagement banquet, the Crown Prince didn’t let sentimentality stop him from locking the Third Prince up.
But for such a Crown Prince to hold a matchmaking event like this behind the back of Marshal Zong, his childhood friend with whom he shared life-and-death experiences… Did he, as part of the highest tier of the royal family, really not know the current thoughts and plans of the aristocratic families and nobles?
So Ning Yunyi chose to come after hearing his brother mention it. He wanted to see if this Crown Prince was truly as selfless as he appeared.
Everything about the Second Prince had come from his mouth, but the Second Prince hadn’t appeared to this day. Who knew how much of his one-sided story was true and how much was false?
Zong Hao nodded to the Crown Prince. “Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince looked at him apologetically. “Ah Hao, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance that this isn’t just a simple banquet… mainly, I was worried about you being alone. Thinking about everyone’s suggestions, it was for your own good.”
His fiancĂ©e behind him spoke up at the right time. “I begged His Highness for these. If the Marshal wants to blame someone, blame me. Don’t let it affect your relationship.”
Zong Hao shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.” Since he was already here, whether he agreed to marry or not was his business; no one could change that.
The Crown Prince smiled sincerely, then looked at Yus and Ning Yunyi. “I didn’t expect you two to have such a good relationship. Is Mr. Bai still living at the Ning family home? With Madam Ning’s accident, I feel bad too. Mr. Bai, please comfort the Ning family for me later.”
Ning Yunyi returned a smile, feigning surprise. “Actually, I haven’t seen much of the Ning family these past two days. We changed the layout of the Ning home. I got the old Ning mansion from Ning Mengde. Although Professor Ning was released, the house is in my name after all. My son and I can’t occupy it all, and I respect the Ning family, so I gave them the front courtyard where they lived before. I thought Your Highness didn’t know Madam Ning had an accident; otherwise, since this is clearly a matchmaking banquet, why invite General Ning?”
His words stunned the few people present. Zong Hao knew Madam Ning’s death was faked, so he hadn’t thought much about it, but to outsiders, Madam Ning was indeed “dead.”
The Prince had just said he knew Madam Ning had an accident, yet he still invited Ning Brother.
The Crown Prince’s expression froze, and he subconsciously looked at his fiancĂ©e behind him. “Did General Ning come too?”
The fiancĂ©e knew a bit more and thought for a moment. “Maybe they wanted it to be livelier, so the invitations were sent to all single officers of General rank and above in the military. They probably… didn’t consider these things much.”
The Crown Prince then apologized, “I was inconsiderate. I’ll go explain to General Ning personally later.”
Ning Yunyi smiled good-naturedly. “I’m not actually that close with the Ning family. This is a private matter between Your Highness and General Ning. Look at me, just mentioning it in passing. I hope I didn’t cause Your Highness to be misunderstood.”
The Crown Prince looked at Zong Hao. “It won’t happen. The Marshal knows me; we grew up together.”
Zong Hao indeed hadn’t thought much of it, given their decades of friendship. But getting to know Ning Yunyi these days, he clearly sensed that Ning Yunyi had said that on purpose.
He had doubts in his heart but didn’t show them. Obviously, he was no longer the big cat of the past. “His Highness indeed doesn’t pay much attention to small matters.”
Ning Yunyi continued to smile harmlessly. Only Yus, standing to the side, gave the Crown Prince a strange look. Does this person really not know as he claims? Whenever something happens, he pushes others to take the blame. Leaving aside the truth of the matter, one’s attitude can be seen in small things. This Crown Prince… is insincere.
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